Hare Krishna, religion, cult or something else.

[deste]

I’m interested to know, preferably from anyone who is involved in the movement if they have an opinion or agree with any of the above.

Arguably all religions are a bit culty....

Hare Krishna is an offshoot of Hinduism. It suffers from many of the issues surrounding any other religion.

But as far as religions go. It is one.

Thankyou, I knew it was but keep getting told otherwise from a follower.

Cult vs religion is really a matter of how you define the words and what usage you apply to them.

Here's one definition:
"A secretive group that brainwashes its members into engaging in obscene and harmful practices for the sake of a charismatic leader."

Now, would you say that was a definition for 'cult' or for 'religion'?

A religion is basically a successful cult...

Wiseold, yours describes a cult but I couldn’t describe the person as obscene. Harmful maybe, definitely Narcissistic.

Cardinal, love your description.

Would it be safe to describe it as a sect?

Hare Krishna is actually the International Society of Krishna Consciousness. It’s the least secret off-shoot of Hinduism there is; they have temples around the world and you can often just pop in at any time for a meal and a chat.

There are other offshoots too - Baps / swaminarayan, Vaishnav, then those associated with casts and other gurus.

Baps are probably the most concerning to me as a Hindu because they put their guru on a par with God in the temples, and also have a culture which I don’t think is compatible with modern day Hinduism.

I’d describe them as sect rather than a cult. They’re very much not secretive or hidden away.

One once caught me in a moment of (hungover) weakness whilst doing last minute Christmas shopping and got me to part ways with £5 for a book which I promptly lost without ever so much as opening. He would have been brilliant in sales!

The definition I posted is just one of many which are out there but could easily describe either a cult or a religion, but perhaps not accurately describing all cults or all religions. The point being that it doesn't matter much what you call it. Label it a 'banana group' for all it matters. It's the intention of the word and the definition which you mean by it which is important.